


everything in everywhere

by cinderlily



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Not Hockey Player(s), Jamie is still a player, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2019-01-06 00:29:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12200349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderlily/pseuds/cinderlily
Summary: Jamie had a free day after the LA All Stars. Some of the guys take him surfing (maybe he lied about knowing how to) and it turns out to be a pretty good day, after the almost dying bit.





	1. I'm deep within the molecules of the air that you breathe

Telling his friends he had surfed ‘a lot’ was probably his first mistake. To be fair to himself ‘a lot’ was subjective but he figured that four times, once where he never left the safety of the sand, didn’t count in any which way or form. It was just that they had all been in Los Angeles for the All Star and, for once, they had free time. He wasn’t going to be the dumbass wet blanket who ruined it for everyone else. 

He even stood up on the board, like an actual freaking champ, for a whole ten seconds. 

His second mistake was thinking that made him a surfing god. 

The next thing he could remember, he was face up on the beach, coughing out a huge splutter of sand and a mouth was heading towards him. A not unpleasant mouth or anything but, not a mouth he knew. He blinked rapidly and coughed harder and louder. The mouth… er… the guy attached to the mouth pulled back and smirked. 

“Welcome back to the land of the living,” he said. “You had a good chunk of the NL West wetting themselves, Captain.” 

His brain wasn’t entirely online again but he did know that the guy had to at least recognize him because he called him Captain. He looked around and saw a crowd, a crowd with _camera_ phones, surrounding him. Fuck. He was so going to get it from the higher ups when he got home.

Technically by putting himself in undue danger he was probably breaking some rule or another. He was an idiot. He saw his friends all kind of fading into the background and he couldn’t blame them. He wouldn’t get his shit into trouble for someone else’s idiocy, as long as the person was fine. 

“Are you a lifeguard?” he croaked out. 

The guy laughed. “Fuck no, I just know this shit as I work with kids at a rink. I’m on vacation, seemingly like you but without the whole award show shit taking me away from the fun.” 

“Do you have a car?” he said, his voice finally finding itself. 

“Yeah… I also have two sisters who need the car.” 

He looked the guy dead in the eyes. “If you get me out of here, I will pay you a grand.” 

“Fuck Candace and Cass,” the guy blurted. “Let’s go.” 

He was offered a hand and he got up off the sand to cheers and clapping. He refused to turn red, smiled softly and waved, but followed the guy as he ran to a pile a few meters away and then jerked his head towards the parking lot. Jamie followed him at a fast clip, noticing that the guy was… well. To put it mildly, fucking hot as hell.

Tattoos everywhere, which was a nice excuse for him to be staring at his thighs and his calves. A body made for sports, except for a tell tale scar just above the knee that Jamie had seen all too many times. He wasn’t going to say anything; that guy’s story was that guy’s story. 

They got into a small white car and Jamie noticed that there were two girls glaring in their general direction. 

“Um, Candace and Cass?” Jamie pointed. 

The guy shrugged. “They don’t want to leave the beach anytime soon either way. They can deal. Where do you want to go?” 

“Uh…” Jamie’s brain went blank. He was currently wearing his swim trunks (wet) and thankfully waterproof bag with his cell and room key. But that was about it. He doubted heading to the hotel was the best idea at first but he was sure that he couldn’t get into many places barefoot and in bright green swim shorts. 

“Okay, dude, we can go by my place for a second. We got an Air BnB. You have Amazon Prime? They can bring you clothes and then I’ll take you back with only the internet the wiser.” 

Jamie exhaled. “I would call you my knight in shining armor but you’re armor is soaked and it’s full of sand.” 

“Well, if it helps, my gear at home says Knights,” the guy laughed. When Jamie raised an eyebrow, he continued. “London Knights, man. I live and breathe hockey. Just because my knee won’t let me play much anymore doesn’t mean I don’t play when I can.” 

“You were on the London Knights?” 

An almost real smile crossed his face. “Yep, for a full six games before I was axed in the most painful of ways. Tyler Seguin.” 

If he’d been drinking, Jamie would do a spit take. “Tyler Seguin, are you fucking kidding me? I heard about you. Rough go, man.” 

“You could say that,” Tyler said, but by the way his fingers were clutched onto the wheel Jamie decided to let the rest of it go. 

He put his hands onto his thighs and tapped on the wet shorts. “Do you live in Los Angeles now?” 

“La-la land? Hell no. My sister wants to, though. She wants to be some big name Youtuber or something. I don’t know. She needed people to help her get here so my other sister and I roadtripped it out here. It was about as fun as being in the car with your two younger bratty siblings can be.” 

Jamie frowned. “Hey, I take offense to that. I’m the baby, and just cause you got stuck with the harder shit where you had to pave the way doesn’t mean we didn’t get the shit end of the stick. I mean, my brother and sister blamed EVERYTHING on me.” 

“You probably deserved it.” 

He shrugged. “Probably.” 

Tyler let out a laugh. “Okay, I like you. Our place is just up to the side here. Hold up.” 

He made a sharp turn that had Jamie thankful his stomach was mostly empty. “JESUS.” 

“What, LA has like no place to park and no signs as to where you’re going.” 

Jamie tilted his head. “Fair point, but if I upchuck onto your car, it isn’t my fault.” 

“The grand will help,” Tyler winked. 

Jamie rolled his eyes. They came to a sudden stop and Jamie was ninety percent sure that the stop was jerkier than it had to be. He rolled his eyes at him, but Tyler was already half out of the car. 

They went up a small group of green stairs and into a rather large room, with what appeared to be queen sized bunk beds in one corner, a small living room and a small kitchen. 

“Want to order some clothes? I think I’ve got leftovers in the fridge. We had a Chinese feast last night. Probably not on plan but you seem fit enough. I think one cheat won’t kill you,” Tyler said, moving around the room like a bouncing ball. “But first I’m going to change cause I _do_ have clothes.” 

Jamie looked at the bag attached to him and grabbed it off the chain. He opened up his phone to a half a dozen, ‘Are you alive?’ texts from the guys he was with. He sent one back saying that he was alive, he’d meet them at the hotel and that if anyone asked he was visiting a friend. Then he went into his Amazon Prime account. 

There was no way to get clothes that fit well off Amazon when you have an ass, but he got the most basic stuff he could, including flip flops because he didn’t notice till he sat down that he was completely shoeless.

“Um, Tyler?” Jamie called out down the small hallway to what he assumed was the bathroom. A head popped out. “Address?” 

“Check by the home phone, dude.” 

Like that was supposed to be obvious. He found a small house phone and a laminated card with the basic information of the property. He copied the address down and pressed send. He was just hoping that there was a chance he’d get back to the hotel with some dignity. Most of the guys were clueless, but if an attractive dude dropped him off, he would never hear the end of it from Sharpy. 

Tyler came back out, wearing a white tank top that said, simply, ‘DUDE’, a backwards cap and a pair of black shorts. Jamie didn’t know if he was absolutely horrified or endeared. He went back and forth. 

“I dig your ink,” Jamie said, pointing to the insane amounts of art on the dude. “I just have the Brothers Benn so far. I can’t think of what else to put on me.” 

“Well, you should put a Star on you, duh,” Tyler said. “And maybe like your hometown cityscape turning into Dallas. Or… Canadian Flag?” 

Jamie blushed. “You know I’m Canadian?” 

“Duh, dude. You were on _our_ team.” 

And _he_ knew Seguin was a Canadian. He might have known just enough about the dude to be considered a stalker, because he thought the kid had potential and his looks didn’t hurt. When he went down in the middle of a game it was a big story, one of those ones that every player heard about and felt for. But that he cared about some random player on a random small market team made him feel giddy in a way that was extremely embarrassing. 

“You said you work at a rink? You um, you’re in Canada?” Jamie said, feeling how stupid the words sounded as he said them. 

He shrugged. “Yeah, I’m in Toronto for now. I grew up in Brampton though. I take classes mostly, but the rink thing started as PT, growing some strength back, but it’s nice to just be on ice. Even if I can’t trust my knee to do … well. Anything. The kids don’t mind, though. They just appreciate that I have the same sense of humor.” 

Before Jamie could ask anything else, Tyler went to the fridge. “So we got like, Buddha’s Delight, Cashew Chicken, Chicken Fried Rice… Thoughts?” 

He blinked, signal read. Do not prod. He frowned and thought of the team nutritionist and the look on her face… “Buddha’s Delight?” 

“How did I know you were going to choose that? You are whipped by your team.” 

“I’m Captain, gotta show some discipline, right?” 

Though he was faced away from him, Jamie could _feel_ Tyler roll his eyes. It was like he was being mocked by a dude who barely knew him. Usually that might raise some tension in him; he had yet to feel comfortable being captain, but somehow he got that Tyler was just that kind of guy. 

Tyler put three containers and two boxes on the counter. “Well, if _I_ were your nutritionist, I would tell you you need protein along with that basket of veggies that my sister thinks are healthy. So I would offer a split of one third Buddha’s Delight and one third Cashew Chicken and the brown rice. It isn’t that much healthier than white rice but it does have a little value to it.” 

Jamie raised an eyebrow at him. 

“I had to go to college for _something_ , and fuck me I am staying in sports if it kills me,” Tyler gave him a shit eating grin. “So I’m in my third year of sports therapy and nutrition.”

Jamie shrugged. “Impressive?” 

“And a beer. Hops are good for you,” Tyler added. “What? I’m only third year and everyone needs a cheat every now and then.” 

“This whole trip has been a cheat,” he muttered. “There is nothing you can say to Alexander Ovechkin to keep him from pushing alcohol at you. It’s actually kind of gross, the poor little newbies at the game have no hope.”

Tyler laughed. “Ovie lives up to rumors then, huh?” 

“The rumors know nothing of that dude,” Jamie said. “I’ve been trying my best to just make up for it and hydrate during the day. I thought the beach day would be a safe thing.”

“Well, I’m glad you took a beach day,” Tyler said, and the way his voice sounded made Jamie’s insides go weird and warm. 

He opened his mouth to say something but then there was a knock on the door. He turned around. 

“Prime isn’t kidding,” Tyler said, and Jamie turned to find him looking at the ground. 

Jamie walked to the door to find a nice looking older gentleman holding a bag that read ‘Amazon Prime’. He thanked him, because that was what was asked for, and tipped him even though he didn’t know if that was proper at all, but either way he had a ten in his bag so why not. The guy left and Jamie was still reeling from the fact that, for a moment, he thought Tyler was flirting with him. Which was completely out of control ridiculous. He knew that. Just. 

He turned to find Tyler putting out two plates of about the same spacing of food on the little island, with two beers in front of them. He looked at him like nothing had happened, which it probably didn’t, so Jamie let it go. 

“Should I uh, get dressed?” 

Tyler half shrugged. “Really it’s up to you. I mean, food, man. Also, you might want to shower before you clothe. So like. Fuel up.” 

He relaxed and let out a laugh. “Yeah, fuel up for that shower. Those really take it out of you.” 

“Sit,” Tyler said, and put his hand out to the little barstool beside him. “I don’t want to be in the news that I let Jamie Benn pass out in my shower.” 

Jamie almost made a comment about what he’s endured without passing out but this conversation was going in a weird way. Not a way that he was against, per se, but he’d known this guy for maybe an hour and the last thing he wanted was to be splashed on Puck Daddy for a guy exposing his sexuality or parts of it to the world. 

He swung one leg over the stool and sat down, taking a sip from the beer. It was some small market IPA, and he looked at it. 

“Decent beer, well I’ll be damned.” 

Tyler, from beside him, beamed. “Aww, I’ll tell my friend, he’ll get a kick out of Jamie Benn liking his beer.” 

“Your friend made this?” Jamie said, eyes going wide and looking directly at the beer. “Really?” 

“Yeah, he’s another wash out,” Tyler said, looking down at his plate and taking a bite before continuing. “We were… close. He decided he wasn’t going to make it to the show and he hated the travel so… he moved to Wyoming and he started making beer.” 

Jamie looked at the label. “Brownie Ale?” 

“Yeah, I told him it’s a shit name but he’s all for it,” Tyler sighed. “His name is Tyler Brown. When we were playing together I was called Segs and he was called Brownie. Mine went away, thank fuck, but he let his stick. He lasted a little longer than me. I guess it was one of those things. Still though. Brownie Ale.” 

“Sounds like it should be thicker, like Guinness,” Jamie sipped. 

Tyler flailed his arms, some rice flying from his fork. “That’s what I fucking told him! I said it was a freaking pale ale and the dumb ass should look for a lighter name. But nope. Not even a little. Dude is stubborn.” 

“Sounds like my brother,” Jamie rolled his eyes. “The dude has like zero reality check. Thankfully he sticks around Dallas but man. He dated this girl for two years who was _heinous_. He was convinced she was the damn love of his life. It took like three different break ups for us to get it to stick.” 

“Your brother. Jordie Benn.”

Jamie raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?” 

Tyler fidgeted with his beer label. “Sorry, this is still pretty fucking weird, dude. Hockey players don’t wash up on the beach near me often.” 

“To be fair, I don’t often wash up on the beach places and get saved by hot dudes.” 

He blinked. Tyler blinked at him. They both stayed very very still except for the blush that crept up on Tyler’s face and the one he suspected was coming up on _his_ face. Finally, he took the beer and slugged back the entire bottle in three quick swallows. 

“Good beer,” he said, his voice a little tighter than usual.

Tyler nodded and pointed at the plate. “Um, try the cashew chicken. It’s… delicious.” 

*

After he finished with his food, Jamie took the opportunity to take a shower in the world’s smallest shower ever. He had to duck his head under the spray, which wasn’t that out of the ordinary, but this time he felt like he might get stuck if he bowed his head too deep. It was essentially the least comfortable shower ever. 

He still stayed in it for longer than he should. 

It wasn’t exactly that he was having one of those moments where he wished more than anything that he had no risks involved with anything. Where he wished he was a nobody who could just approach a dude and say, ‘I like you’. He had those every day, in Dallas, in Ontario, on the road. It was, rather, a weird feeling that this was something more. 

Once they’d ebbed the awkwardness over his ‘hot guy’ comment, they started talking about just about everything. They talked about hockey, naturally. About family, and how freaked out Tyler was about leaving his sister to Los Angeles so she could try and become one of the crazy famous people who get eaten up. They even talked about his injury, a little bit, Tyler bringing it up and telling it from the perspective that wasn’t just the masses making up stuff and it getting on TV or in the locker room. 

Jamie was blunt about his hatred of being known as the Captain, not of being the Captain. How he always felt awkward in his own skin and he waited for someone to tell him he wasn’t actually picked to be the leader. It wasn’t the pressure, he liked helping his teammates, it was just the limelight. He hated it. 

Tyler said he had liked that a little too much as he was coming up. The way it gave him power. He thought that it might have bitten him in the ass if he’d gone much longer. But whatever. It was a path untaken. 

All of it had added up to a conversation that made Tyler feel like someone that Jamie had known for years, not hours. He got addicted rather quickly to the way that Tyler’s face crinkled as he laughed at the stupid things that Jamie would say. It was without a doubt a bad, bad sign. 

He finally pushed himself to get out of the shower and looked at himself in the mirror. Fiddled with his hair and opened a small latch to let the hot air out into the air of the California afternoon. He should go back to the hotel. He really should. Not to mention that he wouldn’t doubt that Tyler’s sisters… Candace and Cass? … probably wanted their brother to get them from the beach. 

He shoved on the weird board shorts that he’d bought because they looked like they would be comfortable (they weren’t) and the black T that was way too tight across his chest, and walked out to the main room. 

Where Tyler was seated on the bed with two girls who he guessed were the sisters in a heated debate about… something. Probably being stuck at the beach for who knew how long because their brother was feeding and entertaining him. 

“Cass, that’s not true. Brownie was…”

All three people jerked to look at him and he paused like a deer in the proverbial headlights. 

“Uh, hi,” he said and half waved at the three of them. He got weird looks on the sisters’ behalves but an overly enthusiastic nod from Tyler. Like he’d said something profound. The younger one, was already in PJs pants. Or maybe she’d just come home from the beach like that. The older sister was just staring him down. 

“The girls just got home; they were planning on leaving again soon,” Tyler said.

Candace winked. “Well, duh, that’s when we’re meeting the boys.” 

Tyler made a face. “Do you know these boys?”

“Not yet,” she batted her eyelashes. “But that’s the whole point, grampa.” 

Tyler looked genuinely annoyed but Jamie stepped in. “You look more human. Want to like…talk?”

“Talk?” 

“You know, back and forth. I say something right, you say something wrong. Fun. Sisters will hopefully leave….” 

The sisters stared at him from the bed, so Jamie walked to the couch that was facing away from them. He sat down and Tyler joined him by climbing over it. They sat on the couch in an awkward silence, broken in his head by weird half thoughts that he was pretty sure were never resolved, but he was anxious about it so they might have. Who knew?

Cass and Candace were suspiciously not paying attention to their conversation. They seemed to be making small talk like people in the movies, no words, just their mouths moving. Jamie felt like he was a giant neon sign that he couldn’t read. Maybe it said ‘intruder,’ ‘weirdo,’ or ‘free cash,’ but the sisters were clearly only barely tolerating it. 

“Should … do they want me to go?” Jamie said, just below his normal speaking voice. 

“No,” Tyler said, kind of loud and stilted. “I mean. Like. You girls like Jamie, right?” 

Cass turned her head three quarters and gave him the same look that a lot of players wives did when he was a newbie. It was like they saw him but they didn’t REALLY see him. Candace tilted her head at him. She proceeded to roll her eyes. 

“Of course we want you to stay, Jamie,” she said. “As long as everyone is happy, we’re good.” 

He shrugged. “Okay, let me know when that times comes.” 

“Oh you’ll know,” Cass said, picking a cell phone off the bed and fidgeting with it. 

He looked back at Tyler, who clearly had just given his siblings the looks of death, but who was halfway to looking normal at Jamie. He put his best smile on. “I mean, unless you want to go?” 

“Naw,” he blurted out, overcorrecting. “I don’t have anything to do for the day and the press is a bitch around the hotel.” 

Candace made a noise and Cass chuckled and Jamie really wanted to know what the hell they had been talking about thirty seconds beforehand. Was he over the line somehow? He pulled himself from the urge to apologize to them, again. For whatever. 

“I can only imagine,” Tyler said, overly cheerful. “So you want another beer … or?” 

“Water, for now? Too much sun and salt water,” he said. 

Tyler let out a laugh. “Yeah, way way way too much salt water, Jamie.” 

“Shut up,” Jamie shoved out at Tyler with his knee as Tyler got up to go to the fridge. He _almost_ had Tyler trip and fall and land pretty much in his lap but Tyler righted himself just in time. Jamie was proud at how he kept the disappointment off his face. 

“Just what you need, a damaged knee from me landing on you,” Tyler teased. 

Jamie couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “What, your bony ass would hit it wrong and shatter it?” 

“My ass is not _bony_ ,” Tyler said, genuinely offended. “I am on the ice like 15 hours a week.” 

Jamie did NOT respond that he was on the ice probably 60 a week during the season, or working out. Or doing stupid squats in his hotel room. He figured it would be polite not to make it out to be a competition, especially as he would totally win. 

“Okay, your ass is only _slightly_ bony,” he conceded. “Now your knees…” 

“Just cause we can’t all have a nice round rump, doesn’t mean we can tease others, Big Benn.” 

From behind him he distinctly heard a fake gag. Tyler must have heard it as well as he looked up and made a glare. “Don’t you guys have shit to do?” 

“Not for a little while,” Candace said. “For now we are on the bed staring at you guys being nauseating.” 

He decided to just stare forward and hope the flush wouldn’t make it to his neck. He had _some_ pride left in his body. 

“I swear, you are so lucky for being the youngest,” Tyler muttered. “And getting a freaking brother. They tag team me.” 

“We’re like fourteen feet from you, Tyler,” Cass pointed out. “Less now that you are stalking towards us and making faces… and mouthing things…” 

What felt like maybe a minute later, Tyler was coming over the back of the couch and handing him a small bottle of water. “You’ll be my alibi, right? If they go missing?” 

“You’ve got like eighteen hours, but sure,” Jamie said, wondering how often he’d cock blocked the hell out of Jordie or if that was what was going on. He turned towards the girls, who were still seated on the lower bunk bed. “You guys going out someplace nice tonight?” 

“Beach party,” Candace said. “Bonfire, beer, maybe some messing around…” 

Tyler didn’t even look back at her. “Yeah, not going to happen, Candace.” 

“I meant the type involved in dancing and getting in safe trouble,” she put her hands up. “You’re the one who perved it, kid.” 

“I’m _older than you_ ,” he snorted. 

She smiled. “And yet, still a kid. Remember how you got stuck a few weeks ago…” 

“Do you want to get out of here? Be tourists or something?" Tyler called over his sister. 

Jamie really wanted to hear the story of him getting in trouble. Or he was mostly sure he did. Either way, he nodded his head and Tyler smiled widely. “Cool, we can go for a walk. We aren’t _that_ far from the beach and shit. There's that pier near where you tanked in the water.” 

“Sure?” 

Tyler beamed. “Later, brats.” 

He got up and ran towards an open suitcase. He put on a pair of ragged Chucks and it fit the whole idea of what Jamie as seeing in this guy. He grabbed keys but left a set by the door. “We'll hoof it. One of you drive tonight, I don’t trust randoms.” 

He didn’t say ‘Hey’ but it was on the tip of his tongue. Probably not best to feed the siblings with a reminder their brother didn’t know him from Adam. He got to the door and turned to say goodbye to the girls but felt Tyler’s hand wrap around his arm. 

“Don’t encourage them,” he muttered. “They’re _brats_.” 

* 

It became evident early in the walk that neither of them had any idea what they are doing. They would brush hands and then back away. They would talk for two blocks and then hit a point where there was silence. Generally comfortable silence, but still silence. If he’d been thinking when he bought his clothes he would have grabbed sunglasses or maybe a hat, as the sun was pretty brutal in the afternoon light. Not that he had generally thought they’d go much further than him changing and then go back to the hotel. 

“There’s like this cool bank of shops a few blocks from here,” Tyler said. “The girls weren't into them as they are like skate gear and record shops and shit but I was really hoping to sneak to them.” 

Jamie smiled. “Yeah, hell yeah. Honestly as long as no one is grilling me and I don’t have to deal with Brent Burns, we’re good.” 

“Burns? You don’t like BURNS? He’s a Canadian hero.” 

“He has the activity level of a seven year old,” Jamie said. “My first few seasons I could keep up with him. But like. I need a nap after all the shit he likes to do. Keeping him entertained is a job. Good on Thorton.” 

Tyler laughed. "But you have to keep watch on your brother.” 

“It was worse last year, Demers was a force to be reckoned with,” Jamie said. “He and my brother were like… A match and lighter fluid. Add in Patrick Sharp and it was like a combustible ball of energy. THAT was like babysitting. Even just to keep the pranks at a minimum but was essentially a game of chance.” 

“Dude,” Tyler rolled his eyes. “I doubt those guys could ace my prank game.” 

Jamie groaned. “I feel like you just put bad energy in the air and I’m going to get to my hotel room to find it short sheeted and vodka in my water bottles.” 

“How is that a problem?” 

“It stops being funny after about the eleventh time you spit your water across the hotel room and feel a lot less rockstar and a lot more alcoholic when you check out,” Jamie explained. “Though I do have to point out my brother got him back with the best Nair in his after-shaving gear.” 

Tyler snorted. “Ouch. You gotta let your brother fight for you.” 

“As long as the C is on my chest I have to pretend to be an adult. It sucks but you know, I can give suggestions of things _not_ to do. If my brother doesn’t listen…” He put his hands up like it wouldn’t be totally his fault. 

“And here I thought you’re this innocent little doe-eyed Cap,” Tyler shook his head in fake shame. “Yet you’re the devil, man. I like it.” 

He blushed and brushed it off with his awkward honk laugh, that set Tyler into the giggles and it was downhill from there. They were both laughing and he was pretty sure it was just at each other’s laughs. When it settled a little, Jamie put his hand down and his knuckles brushed Tyler’s again. Damn it. What was this?

“It’s this next block,” Tyler said. “There’s a tat shop, in the market?” 

Jamie paused for a whole ten seconds, just enough for Tyler’s eyes to go bright, before he shook his head. “Dude, I have to play in like three days. Do you honestly think I wouldn’t get KILLED for getting ink done? What if it got infected? Or if one of the dudes checked me and I bent over in pain for barely a hit?” 

He nudged at Tyler with his shoulder. Tyler shrugged. "It was worth a check. I mean, I’ve been meaning to get something done for this trip.” 

“You could splurge, get a giant Star, green naturally,” he said. “You know, with that sweet getting me out of the shit money.” 

Tyler made a thoughtful face, which didn’t actually end. It took Jamie a full ninety seconds to piece together that he wasn’t just mocking him. He was _thinking_ about it. Just getting a tattoo on a whim? This shop could be shit?

“Does it have to be _big_?” Tyler said and Jamie's eyes widened. “Hey, I don’t have to be on ice or anything anytime soon. We’re not going back to the beach… It could be a pretty awesome tat. The one I got when I rescued an ACTUAL All Star. You could sign it…” 

Now THAT was weird. He’d signed skin before, mostly girls which was always twice as awkward as the girl thought it was. He played it up, he wasn’t dumb or anything but on the same account he always left feeling like he was a dirty person. Especially the chest. But they had never gotten it tattooed that he knew of. 

“I was kind of just joking.”

“I rarely joke with tattoos, Benn,” Tyler said, a smirk on his face. “Come on. A small green star and your number?” 

He boggled. “My cell?” 

Tyler bent over in a laugh. “You fucking dork, I meant your jersey? Like fourteen? You know below the C?” 

They both kind of stood there for a long while and Jamie almost flat out said no but then again who was he to say anything about this dude’s body. Just. His number. And a star. He’d been _joking_. It was a joke. Except Tyler looked so giddy and excited. He figured they could at least look. 

Of course Tyler found an artist who had what he referred to as a “sick book” with all types of styles, who was free and interested in doing the tattoo on the spot. Jamie was horrified. Wasn’t there like a three day limit or something. Like a holding period? Who just lets a human tattoo their skin with something on the day of. He swore it was a week and a half of bargaining before he got the Benn Brothers tattoo. 

The guy drew a simple mock up. A plain star with green accents and his _handwritten_ fourteen in the corner. Something in the back of his head kept repeating, “ _You don’t do that with a **significant other.**_ ” 

An hour later, Tyler was getting Saran Wrap around his lower arm and Jamie was still kind of staring at the small green star right above the inside of his elbow. He had more than insisted on paying for it, playing like he had to pee to slip the lady behind the counter his card and tipping insanely well. But it was there. And it was… a GREEN STAR with HIS HANDWRITING. His brain was not going to process it for a few days. 

“Are you sure your friends aren’t going to give you shit when you get back home?” Jamie asked, like it wasn’t about an hour too late. 

Tyler laughed. “I have two friends that have tattoos of ex girlfriend's lips on their skin. This? This is awesome. This has a _story_.” 

“Girl’s lips?” 

He shrugged. “It was like half dare half ‘Jake got his girl’s lips’ thing. Either way, bad choice when you are 19 and you have been dating for less than six months.” 

Jamie wanted to, but did not say, “ _We’ve known each other for six hours._ ” 

Rather, he just nodded and laughed when Tyler went to pay and was brushed off. He looked at Jamie like _he_ was the one who got the tattoo. “Are you kidding me? This was supposed to be my money splurge, dude.” 

“Well, you can money splurge on something else,” Jamie said and didn’t laugh at the definitely-manly-but-still-a-pout it brought to Tyler’s face. 

“You definitely know how to thank a guy for saving you from the sea,” Tyler raised an eyebrow. “You realize I only did the mouth to mouth. The players were the ones who brought you up to the sand, right?” 

He had lost his train of thought as soon as Tyler said, ‘Mouth to mouth’ but nodded probably a little too hard when he heard the question in Tyler’s tone. Fuck, he’d missed the damn chance to actually kiss the fucker. How is that fair? Now Tyler had the memories and he did not. That was a damn shame. 

“You saved me from one of those dunces trying mouth to mouth,” he finally stuttered out, when his brain connected the sentences together. 

They walked out the door, a packet of information and a shit ton of sample lotion in hand. Tyler kept checking his tattoo and Jamie was waiting for him to tell him he regretted it. Cause like, that was crazy. “I mean, PK Subban wouldn’t be that bad…” 

He double stepped and almost tripped. “PK?” 

“Well, if you are going to go, you better go big…” Tyler said, after he’d righted Jamie back onto his feet and put his hand. He didn’t look bothered that he’d just said that he’d make out with PK Subban for no reason. He just kept walking forward. “Thrift shop. Come on.” 

He followed mostly because Tyler was halfway in the door and he didn’t want to stand out in the heat for the next however long it took Tyler to get through. Plus, maybe a hat and sunglasses. 

As soon as they entered the store Tyler was off, pulling Jamie in his wake by sheer force of energy. The store was nice and cool, not that LA had anything on Dallas heat wise, but it smelled like that nasty ass incense his sister brought home from college. 

They were in the middle of an aisle before he really looked up. Tyler was flicking through some shirts. “What size do you wear?” 

Jamie looked at him like his head was on wrong. “Dude, I just bought clothes.” 

“Yeah, but as you won’t get a tattoo I gotta get you a souvenir,” Tyler rolled his eyes. He picked up a shirt that read ‘Hollywood High Track Team’ but put it back when it basically barely covered one of Jamie’s arms. 

“I can’t just get clothes most of the time,” Jamie said, whispering it like people would be able to hear. “I have to like go to the big and tall places. It’s the arms.” 

Tyler considered Jamie’s arms and tilted his head. “Fair point. They’re like little tanks, dude.” 

“Thanks…?” 

“It’s a good thing,” Tyler said. “Come on, we’ll go further back.” 

He brought Jamie to a section that was set up kind of like a weird bedroom but with a big clear case and shit all over the walls. He never actually thought that he would see a lava lamp in person but it was made disappointing by the fact that all of the lava seemed to be in a weird clump at the bottom. 

There was a long period of Tyler looking around. He grabbed a few hats off the wall but Jamie wasn’t really a hat person, per se. Especially radioactive colors from like the late eighties, early nineties, tops. Tyler called him picky and fussy and a lot of less polite terms but Jamie kept going, half to egg Tyler on. He appreciated the face that he was making and the fact that he kept going. Like it was completely important that not only Tyler find _something_ but the level of perfection had to be high. 

“Sit down, you’re like the opposite of help, dude,” Tyler said, pointing to an old chair and walking off to another aisle. He might have pushed it pretty far. 

So he sat, and he looked around at the awful decorations and thought about his childhood bedroom featuring a lot of this awfulness, except more hockey themed crap than the pot and music related posters that were on this mock room’s walls. 

A part of him wanted to go follow Tyler, find him in one of the aisles and say yes to the next thing that he picked out even if it was a giant plastic flamingo. It didn’t matter that much to him, and mostly he just wanted to use up the time he had with this guy before he, in all likelihood, would never see again. 

He stood up and looked around the room with a kind of determination; he was pretty freaking tall and Tyler wasn’t small… but he didn’t see him. And he didn’t see him. He looked up and down all of the aisles and didn’t see him, went to the front and didn’t see him. Finally, feeling a lot like a lost little kid, he went back to the pretend room area and found Tyler seated on the bed, making a face. 

The face wiped off when he caught sight of him. “I thought you left, you jerk.” 

“I couldn’t find you,” Jamie said, almost accusatory. 

“I got your gift, it’s the right one and if you make a comment I might punch you in the goods, Jamie.” 

Jamie had a momentary wince at the thought. Not that it mattered as, yet again, he could care less what it was. Though, it was small enough to fit in a pretty tiny brown bag so that was at very least encouraging. 

Jamie held both hands up. “I will protect my goods.” 

“Good,” Tyler beamed and slid something out of the bag. When it fell into Tyler’s palm Jamie almost busted out in sheer laughter. It was a keychain, small and simple, of a surfboard with a shark bite taken out of it. “See, you gotta have a cooler story then just biffing it hardcore, man.” 

He took the surfboard into his hands and flipped it over. One side said ‘Los Angeles’ and the other was bare. It was completely perfect. He laughed. “Thanks. I was going to go with avoiding it but with the whole… Puck Daddy. Shark sounds good.” 

“Exactly,” he said. “And it’s on your keys, so you will think of me even when you get home.” A moment of awkwardness and Tyler shook his head. “About the _trip_ when you get home.” 

He didn’t have his actual keys but he slipped it into his pocket and smiled. “Yeah, totally. Or I’ll put it on my bag, then it really follows me everywhere.” 

“Now for the second part,” Tyler said. “Apparently, if we go to the end of this street we’ll hit a restaurant and bar that is killer and on the beach. This time is seriously my treat, so fuck off with your Black Card, Benn.” 

He didn’t actually have a Black Card, mostly because the idea of HAVING to spend a freaking 100k everywhere on a freaking credit card. He wasn’t the type to upgrade his flight, let alone buy a car a year and then some. He didn’t want to end up one of those guys with 20 years in the league and no money for after. He didn’t say that though, as he was sure it would just give Tyler something else to chide him on. Make almost 6 million a year and afraid to spend it. 

He just shrugged and said, “I’ll go get some food and beer. I’m down with that.” 

“That’s the right answer,” Tyler grinned at him. “No bullshit either, eat what you want and more. And get the good beer. Actually? I get the beer, Jamie. You probably have shitty taste.” 

He narrowed his eyes. “Hey, I’m Canadian too.” 

“Yeah, but a West Coaster, and you’ve been in Dallas HOW long?” 

“I liked your friend Brownie’s beer…” 

Tyler made a thoughtful face. “Okay, that is a fair enough point. Just. You know. Let me chose at least the first round or two. We’ll order food, chill. Watch the sunset.” 

_The sunset?_

Jamie checked his watch. Holy fuck, it was nearly five thirty. His day had gone by in a way too short burst of Tyler time. He wondered idly what the guys thought he was up to, but brushed away the thought. He had a whole freaking season ahead of him with those dumbasses. 

“Lead the way,” he said, and Tyler did. 

* 

The bar was **on the beach** , not too far from where he’d had his dumbass adventure that morning. He felt way way way underdressed even though he wasn’t the only guy in board shorts by far. He felt like he was fidgeting too much, like Tyler could see his nerves surfacing. 

He didn’t want that to be a thing. He didn’t want Tyler to think he was like, ashamed to be with him or, worse, that he’d rather be somewhere else. Neither could be farther from the truth. It was just that in all honesty he couldn’t remember the last time he had been on a date. Which he was still only about ninety percent sure that was what this was. 

When he felt Tyler’s foot slide between the two of his the number went up to maybe ninety five. 

They were sat outside on the large porch, which made it so they could at least hear each other talk. And they did. They talked and they talked and he was pretty sure in the maybe seven hours they’d known each other they’d been talking for a good six of them. Besides the very beginning they had yet to reach that point in the conversation where there was awkward silence. He was kind of shocked by that. 

“I’m going to get some more beer,” Tyler said, pointing to his empty glass. “You want another?” 

Jamie shifted. “I can get this round.” 

“Sit down, money bags, I recently came into some easy cash. Let me pay the eight bucks,” Tyler winked. 

“Well, when you put it like that,” he said, his near constant smile widening. “Longboard, please.” 

Tyler made a face but gave a salute and walked off towards the bar. Jamie figured it was time to bite the bullet, and he pulled his phone out of his pocket. To say it had blown up since he’d last checked it was a joke. His voicemail, empty that morning, was now full. The text messages were in the fifties and he was pretty sure that if he chucked it hard enough he would make it to the ocean. 

Instead he looked at the who the texts were from. He opened the one from his brother first, usually a safe bet. 

“ _Yo, dinkus, you tried to surf?_

_Cute boy saved you?_

_Okay, two hours. Call me._

_Three hours, fucker, call me._

_CALL YOUR DAMN BROTHER._

_HOLY SHIT, DID HE MURDER YOU? DID THIS KID MURDER YOU? THAT IS THE ONLY WAY I’M NOT MURDERING YOU._

_FUCK. JAMIE. CALL._ ”

The last was marked about a half an hour before. And he if he was truly lucky, calling his brother might actually be worth calling five people. He took the last swig of the beer in front of him and hit send. 

It didn’t ring one full time before he heard his brother’s voice. “JAMIE RANDOLPH.” 

“What the fuck, are you mom now?” he reached into his pocket and grabbed the small key chain, fidgeting with it and smiling.

“I might as well be, I’ve been talking her down from buying a plane ticket to fucking Los Angeles for the better part of four hours. What the hell, man? Where are you? Are you okay? Say ‘banana’ if he’s, like, keeping you captive.” 

He nearly said the word ‘banana’ because that was the dumbest thing he’d ever heard in his entire fucking life but stopped himself in time from probably a swat team finding him and killing Tyler. “There is no kidnapping. Tyler saved me from the photos. I thought I would lay low for the day.” 

“So you freaking didn’t call your damn family?” 

Jamie picked at the wrapper of the beer feeling like he was 17 and not 27. “I texted the boys, they knew where I was… wait, how did you YOU know what happened?” 

“Puck Daddy picked it up.” 

_Shit._

“Shiiiiit.” 

“Yeah, all they showed was you lying on the beach with a tatted up dude giving you mouth to mouth and then your back as you ran. Mom was half convinced you were in a hospital somewhere in LA. You’re not.” 

Jamie tilted his head. “I know that.” 

“So do I, as I called them _all_. You owe me so fucking much. She wanted me to call the morgues.” 

“She does have the flair for the dramatics,” Jamie said. Jordie let out a noise that could have been amused or a threat, Jamie had no idea. He exhaled. “Sorry I freaked you out.” 

Jordie sighed. “Whatever. You’re alive. I’m texting mom right now. At least tell me he’s a good lay.” 

“I think he’s straight,” Jamie said miserably , after a quick glance over his shoulder towards the bar. “But a giant fucking flirt. It’s… uh. You remember that kid a few years ago Tyler Seguin? Fucked up his knee?” 

“Bull shit.” 

Jamie couldn’t help but laugh, as he could picture his brother’s dumb face. “Yeah, go figure, can’t escape hockey no matter what the hell I’m doing.” 

“Well, good news is that while not gay, that boy was at worst heteroflexible. I hear he and some dude on one of his teams had a thing going. His injury fucked it up and there was huge fall out.” 

“You watch too much Housewives,” Jamie said. 

Jordie grunted. “That show is a classic. It’s like WWE meets every soap opera ever. But still. Hallsy knew him. Same draft year.” 

Same draft year as TAYLOR HALL? How old was he? He turned around at the sound of a familiar voice and turned back. “Well, awesome, thanks. Could you just call mom and tell her I don’t have to worry about dying and I’ll be home in Dallas tomorrow? And text Sharpy. ” 

“Big, brother. You owe me so fucking big.” 

“Love you too, fucker.” 

He hung up the phone to the sound of his brother cursing him out, which was the least weird thing to happen that day. It was comforting, actually. 

“Everything okay?” Tyler asked, setting a bottle in front of him. 

“Yeah,” he smiled. “Apparently you got on Puck Daddy.” 

Tyler’s eyes went wide and he laughed loud and sudden. “Well, there goes that Bucket List item.” 

“My family was a bit worried,” Jamie shrugged it off. “They thought I was kidnapped. I’m sure if I called my agent right now I would be getting yelled at but … um. Fuck that.” 

Tyler rolled the beer in his hands back and forth and didn’t look at Jamie. “Want me to take you home? I guess we can Uber it… Or something. Don’t want a DUI or anything… now that I am famous.” 

The joke fell flat and something in Jamie’s chest cracked slightly. Tyler looked like he genuinely thought Jamie was ready for him to go, raring to run. If he thought back on the day he was always asking if he was ready to, wanting to, needed to… Jamie couldn’t help but feel like he wanted to just hug the idiot. 

“Naw, I’m good,” Jamie said, smiling and looked him directly in the face. “Apparently you knew Hallsy?” 

“Taylor? Yeah, I knew him. We were same draft class. Like, if I had made it to the draft… But we met. A few times. Played together a few times. He’s cool.” 

Jamie relaxed inch by inch, and it was definitely not the beer he was sipping at. He was on a date, he realized, he was on a date with this stupidly cute guy who was … oh god. Hallsy’s age. But whatever. He could forgive that. 

“Who told you that?” Tyler broke into his thoughts. 

“My brother,” he said, a little embarrassed. “I told him you rescued me and … you know. He remembered you… Said you were in Hall’s class.” 

Tyler tilted his head forward. “He told you about Brownie and I.” 

Jamie did a spit take, crap beer ending up on the table in front of him, his blessedly black shirt and all over his hands. “You and _Brownie_. Beer making, road trip taking, best friend Brownie?” 

“Trust me entirely when I say there is only one Brownie and the best friend and former boyfriend with messy break up are one and the same.” 

“Holy _shit_ ,” Jamie said, leaning forward, voice barely above the din of the bar. “You dated your teammate?” 

Even in the weird light of twilight outside at a bar he could see the blush all over Tyler’s throat and face. He was about ninety percent sure it went below the shirt’s collar. “You sure you don’t want me to drop you off now?” 

“Shut up, Seguin,” he said and he was surprised at how natural that came out, how affectionate he sounded even though he was a little annoyed about the whole thing. “I’ll tell you if I want to go back to the hotel. I just… A teammate?” 

Tyler looked back up, small smile on his lips. “Yeah, I would say one out of five, would NOT recommend on Yelp!.” 

“I don’t think I’d be brave enough to even approach a teammate,” Jamie said, this time being the one unable to look. “I mean, I get the ‘You Can Play’ shit, but I’m still the Captain who occasionally has to remind people what words are okay in the locker room and on the ice. So my confidence is not too high there.” 

He looked up and Tyler was giving him a … freaking huge smile. Like, not the polite smile you might give someone in an uncomfortable situation but he swore he was lighting up the damn room. 

“Oh yeah, hi, I’m Jamie Benn and I am bi,” Jamie said, flushing. "If you could not sell that to anyone that would be great.” 

Tyler made a face, put his hand out over the table and Jamie took it to shake it. “I’m Tyler Seguin and I’m Queer as FUCK. If I sold that to anyone I would literally punch myself in the face, don’t worry.” 

“I’m not.” 

And truth was, he wasn’t even slightly worried.

Rather he was more excited about having said it out loud and not feeling like he was going to be sick. He was 27 years old and he most of the time his sexuality made him feel like he was 12 years old all over again. Getting a boner at a sleepover at his friend's house and pretending he was sick to get picked up. He had been so relieved that he liked girls too that he rarely gave himself a chance to actually do anything about the guy thing. 

“So, uh, is this a date?” Jamie asked, weirdly not caring that he was asking with _people_ around. 

The beaming smile returned. “Are you fucking kidding me? I’ve been trying to get into your pants since you washed up on the beach. Wait… that sounds wrong. I meant. When I knew you were alive and not dead or anything.” 

“You sure do romance, dude.” 

“Shut up, you like me,” Tyler stuck his tongue out at him. 

“Yeah, I kind of do.” 

Tyler turned redder. So flush and smiley that Jamie wanted to see where exactly the red stopped. But they were at dinner. And he had a roommate and Tyler had sisters. So for now he just slipped a foot casually on the bar between Tyler’s legs and smiled wide and happy. 

“Holy shit,” Tyler said and his face was comical. 

“So tell me shit about Hallsy,” Jamie said, blinking innocently. “I need new chirping material.” 

Tyler eyed him. “You are a jerk, dude. A total jerk. But Hallsy had a crush on one of the players. Never could get it out of him. He just kept saying that he got what I was feeling. I swore if he had a crush on like Crosby I was going to have it tattooed on my arm.” 

“What like a picture of the two of them?” 

“Naw, I’d do it up subtle, just a heart with TH + SC, you know, classy,” he winked. 

“Probably the best bet, keep it simple,” Jamie laughed. “Now I want to know who it is. I’d pay for that tattoo also, ESPECIALLY if it was Crosby. I thought he and Malkin… but with the whole wife and kid bit it takes away from the possibility.” 

Tyler shrugged. “I’m best friends with my ex. And our breakup was epic, man. Like tears and throwing shit epic. I even like his girl now.” 

“Isn’t that awkward?” Jamie asked. He’d never really been the ‘friend’ guy after a relationship and especially after a hookup. He wasn’t sure how the whole being your ex’s ex-boyfriend talking to his girlfriend. 

“The one’s that made it awkward aren’t worth it,” Tyler said. “Like, at first… hell yeah it’s awkward. And it isn’t first date material…” 

Jamie couldn’t help but laugh. “Except this one?” 

“Fuck, okay,” Tyler said, chuckling and rubbing at his neck. “I’m not the best at dates. Can we just get that out of the way?” 

“I haven’t been on a date with a guy, so we’re pretty even on that,” Jamie said. 

Tyler coughed on his beer. “You’ve never been on a date with a guy?” 

“I’ve been to like bars and shit, hooked up a few times but … no?” 

“Jesus Christ, dude, no pressure or anything.” 

Jamie kicked him under the table. “Fuck you, dude. I have nothing to compare it to. You literally have nowhere to go but up.” 

It wasn’t like he should be embarrassed. He’d gotten laid. Lots of times. And had girlfriends who were very happy. Granted he wasn’t much for girlfriends during the season. Plus he’d gotten laid after a few games in random small market cities that wouldn’t recognize a dude who played hockey even if he told them he did. He had experience, he wasn’t embarrassed. Not… entirely. 

“Well, when you put it that way,” Tyler waggled his eyebrows. Jamie seriously wondered if he thought that was attractive, but also found it damn endearing as hell. Damn it, this dude. 

Jamie scratched his ears. “ _Well_ , if it helps, so far I would say it was pretty freaking great.” 

Tyler tipped his beer at him with a lazy smile. “Me too.” 

 

There was a distinct beat of music from the bar but they’d left it behind them over an hour ago. They were back at where they met, nearish enough to where he had taken a header that morning. Tyler was talking about some game or another and he was flashing his pretend stick. 

“It was insane, I hit it right off the dude’s shin and it reflected straight into the freaking five hole. It was a beaut,” Tyler said. They’d both had a few beers, but not enough for either of them to be anywhere near drunk. Tyler might have a buzz, and what little he could remember he shouldn’t have drank with the new tattoo but apparently that didn’t matter to Tyler. 

He was nodding at him, letting Tyler lead the conversation as far as it would go. Somewhere in the span of the night it came to him that he really, really, really did not want the night to end but that wasn’t the revelation. The night would end, no matter how it did. Even if they talked for every single second of it it would end. Then he would get on an airplane and fly back to Dallas. Tyler would get back in his car and drive to Canada. 

Everything would be over. Tyler would have the tattoo (still boggled Jamie) and he’d have the surfboard and that would be it. 

With most of his hook ups, even the ones he’d spent more than the requisite five minutes chatting up, that would be the ideal. But not with Tyler. The idea of just one day of Tyler felt like he was betraying not only himself but Tyler. He didn’t want to kiss him, or screw him, even if he _did_. Tyler was… not just meant for that. He was the guy that made Jamie laugh all day, who brought him out of his shell, who told him about everything. 

It was completely ridiculous. They’d known each other less than a full day. Just. He wanted more. More time, more Tyler, more stupid fights over who was the better goalie. (Jamie had _played_ against both of them and yes Fleury had the moves, but Carey Price was a damn wonder.) 

He felt a large ache slowly growing in his chest. He tried to focus on Tyler, soak him up. 

“And that’s when the fire ants devoured my cousin whole…” 

Wait. 

“What?”

“Oh look, you’re back,” Tyler said, casually knocking his knee against Jamie’s. “Lost you there for a second. Getting bored?”

Jamie made a face, like even the thought was bitter in his mouth. “No. I just… uh. Don’t want this to end.” 

“Well, it doesn’t have to for a while,” Tyler shrugged. “Your flight isn’t until like… midmorning?” 

“I meant ever,” Jamie said and then jerked his head to Tyler in fear. He hadn’t meant it to come out like that. “I mean… I have to go tomorrow. You go North, I go South. I don’t like that. I don’t like just having a surfboard to remember you by. It sucks.” 

Tyler seemed, for once, genuinely speechless. He looked from his tattoo to Jamie and back to the tattoo. He opened his mouth and then closed it. 

“You know, I’m just enjoying the night. Never mind,” he put his hand in his pocket, grabbed at the surfboard and used it almost as a worry stone. 

A moment later Tyler nudged him again. “Give me your phone.” 

“What?” 

“Give me the phone, Jamie.” 

Jamie pulled his hand out of his pocket, dropping the keychain and instead grabbing his cell phone. He put his finger on the little button and handed it to Tyler. Yet another sign of his trust for the guy. There weren’t many numbers that important in there. But he did have Crosby’s and a few other higher ups on there. But he didn’t even have time to worry as soon he heard a beep from _not_ his phone. 

Tyler handed him back his phone and grabbed his phone out of his own pocket. Jamie checked to find “Tyler Seguin” had texted himself, ‘ _BENNY AND THE JETS_.’

“I play for the Stars,” Jamie said, apropos of absolutely nothing. 

Tyler rolled his eyes. “Yes, cause I’m going to let one of my dumb ass classmates in SPORTS therapy see me texting Jamie Benn. Good choice.” 

“So we’ll text?” 

Tyler over exaggeratedly nodded. “Yeah, _old man_. And there’s even this thing called _FaceTime_ where it’s like talking to a TV version of me.” 

“Don’t be a punk,” Jamie said, feeling warmer and weird. “I mean. We’ll just text and shit.” 

“I’ve known you for like twelve hours, you proposing marriage?” 

His eyes went way too wide and Tyler almost fell over with laughter, thankfully not though as it would have been on his freshly tatted up arm. Jamie covered his face with both hands. “I just meant, we’d text and FaceTime…” 

“And maybe you can sneak me a ticket for the next time you’re in Toronto,” he said. “And then… I don’t know. We can see where it goes from there.” 

Tyler looked so plainly happy with the plan that it felt infectious. Okay, they would be separated by an entire country, but they’d keep talking. That could work for him. His phone pinged and he looked down to see it was from Tyler again. 

“ _I’ll also send you the wonders of a private Snapchat. *eggplant emoji* *sticking out tongue emoji*_ ” 

Without thinking Jamie knocked Tyler over with a jerk to the left and he landed on his arm. He let out a laugh with a simultaneous laugh. Jamie freaked out for a second but when he offered Tyler his arm Jamie pulled him over on top of him. 

“You shouldn’t get sand on your tattoo,” Jamie said, but his voice was low and his face close to Tyler’s. 

Tyler pulled him in for a lingering kiss. Jamie forgot the logic of what he was meant to be telling Tyler as soon as a hand landed on the back of his neck and played with the hair at the base of his skull. He hummed appreciatively. 

“Fuck me,” Jamie said, sitting up. 

Tyler, who was getting seated looked around at the beach. “What now?” 

Jamie nudged him, albeit very lightly. “Just… not had that good of a first kiss in a while.”

Tyler smiled and nudged him harder. “Technically that was our second kiss, but first you were awake for. I take that as a win.” 

So did Jamie.


	2. can you see me in your own reflection?  (epilogue)

Jamie let out a low hiss. 

“You giant baby,” Tyler said, using the same voice he used on Marshall when he had to take his joint medication. 

Jamie frowned. “It hurts, fucker.” 

“You’ve done this four times before.” 

Jamie changed his frown to a glare. “Why didn’t you tell me this hurt?” 

“Cause it didn’t,” Tyler said, hand rubbing instinctively on the little green star on his inner arm. “Or maybe I was so swept up in the moment I felt no pain. Where has the romance gone?” 

“Well, I’m just guessing that you shouldn’t ask me that, as we just paid for a shit load of our friends to watch us say ‘I do.’” 

Tyler laughed. “Yeah, but we’re getting it back in those sweet, ‘Open Player’ interview money. Those are so much fun, why don’t we do more?”

“Jack ass,” he said. They were only fun for Tyler as he wasn’t the one in the hot seat. He got to sit next to him, smile and occasionally say something sweet or funny and then the whole room would laugh because Tyler had that level of charisma. Jamie usually looked like he was talking about sex with his parents. 

They’d been dating for well over four years and Tyler had made the move to Dallas after six months more of school and six months of trying for a visa of some sort. Thankfully he got work visaed when the Stars had a position open up in their youth outreach that not only was Tyler perfect for but it got him an in for when a trainer retired. 

Despite what Tyler insisted and believed, Jamie had nothing to do with it at all. Though the only thing he could see having happened was that he might have moped a little bit too much for the rest of the team and maybe they got desperate. Either way. After a few years of dating and getting to the postseason, he decided, on a whim, if they got the Cup he would propose on the ice. (If not he would propose on the vacation after.) 

So he did, middle of the ice, just after the last person did their round with the Cup. He stopped and brought himself to one knee, grabbed a ring that his mom had been holding and outed himself. It was kind of the craziest thing he’d done other than spend an entire day with a stranger after the All-Star game. 

Both turned out pretty well. 

Well, except that there was a little bit of anxiety in the outing part. He knew that his brother threatened people left and right and there was about two thousand people who came to the first game back who wore Rainbow Stars shirts but there was also people with signs with lovely lines like, ‘Two things Dallas is good for: Steers and Queers’. 

“Hey, you alive or have you gone into a coma of some sorts,” Tyler snapped. “Cause you’re done.” 

They both looked down at the green star with the initials TSB written in the corner of it. The woman doing it was cleaning it up, but it was pretty freaking sweet if you asked Jamie. 

“ **Now** you are stuck with me,” Jamie said. 

“The legal thing was just some sort of test?” 

Jamie shrugged. “We could ask them not to send in the paperwo—“

Tyler stopped him with a kiss. 

“Don’t ruin the moment.” 

He opened his mouth, pretending to start to say something and Tyler interrupted with another kiss. He would take that trick to the grave with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Titles and such from Everywhere from Jason Mraz

**Author's Note:**

> This was my Hockey Big Bang but no one chose it and honestly a girl has to have a little pride. I challenged myself to have it be a single day love story because... well. I am lame. 
> 
> THANK YOU TO TONYA for being my lifesaver/ beta. <3


End file.
